Firing mechanism for pyrotechnics and the like



Aug. 4, 1925. 1,548,693

FIRING MECHANISM FOR PYROTECHNICS AND THE LIKE F. R. WEAVER Filed May l5, 1924 Patented Aug. 4, 1925.

FLEMING R. WEAVER, OF EDGEWOOD, MARYLAND.

FIRING MECHANISM FOR PYROTECHNICS AND THE LIKE.

Application filed may 15, 1924. Serial No. 713,515-

To all whomit'may concern:

Be it known that I, FLEMING a citizen of the United States. residing at Edgewood, in the county of Harford and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Firing Mechanism for Pyrotechnics and the like,'

nics, which is efficient, reliable, easy to operate and which can be made to function when desired and prevented from functioning at other times.

A further object of this invention is to provide a firing mechanism for pyrotechnics employed with grenades, bombs, rockets. signals, candles, etc.

Other, further and more specific ob ects of the invention will become readily apparent to persons skilled in the art from a consideration of the following description when taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is an elevation, partly in section, showing the preferred form of my device for use with a candle, for example, a smoke generating candle.

Fig. 2 is an elevation, partly in section, showing the same device in use with a grenade, for example, a toxic or irritant smoke generating grenade.

Referring to Fig. 1, a portion of the can dle (1) is shown, the candle being provided with the smoke mixture (2). This smoke mixture (2) is usually cast or molded in the form of, cakes-* and has a recess (3) adapted to receiv a tube or receptacle (4) containing the pyrotechnic mixture, This receptacle (4) may rest directly in the smoke mixture (2). I prefer however to provide a thimble (6) which is securely embedded in the smoke mixture (2) and by properly regulating the sizes of the thimbles (6) and receptacle (4),the receptacle may be made to remain tightly in the thimble, so that it will not fall out from the candle.

Above the pyrotechnic mixture (5), there is provided a cap or disc (7) secured to the receptacle (4) and this disc supports a match R. WEAVER,

receptacle (4) is the plug (9) provided with a head (10). This plug (9) may be rotated within the tube or receptacle (4). The lnner surface of this plug (9) is pref-;

erably obliquely inclined to the axis of the receptacle and partially covered with an abrasive or scratcher composition (11). In the construction shown the scratche-r composition (11) is out of contact with the match composition (8) and this is the safe position of the device. The device is maintained in this safe position by means of the pm (12) passing through the plug (9) and the receptacle (4).

When it is desired to operate the firing mechanism, the pin (12) is withdrawn'by pulling the ring (13) and on turning the plug (9), the scratcher is brought in frictional contact with the match composition, causing the latter to fire. The fire is communicated to the pyrotechnic (5), and as thls burns, the receptacle (4) and thimble (6), which are preferably made of a low fusible metal, such as zinc, melt and the burning pyrotechnic ignites the smoke mixture (2), causing smoke to be evolved therefrom and issue from the candle.

In the grenade shown in Fig. 2, as the plug (9) is rotated, the scratcher (11) will frictionally engage and fire the match composition (8) and set ofi the fuse (14). This will ignite the starter (15) upon the smoke mixture (2) causing the latter to volatilize and issue from the grenade through the openings (16).

A suitable match composition may be made from potassium chlorate (6 parts) and black antimony sulphide (3 parts), mixed intimately and bound into a solid mass with dextrine (2 parts). These materials should be acid-free as much as possible.

A suitable scratcher composition consists of red phosphorus (5 parts) and ground glass of 150 mesh (3 parts), bound together by dextrine (2 parts).

Although Ihave for purposes of illustraimposed as 1; A firing mechanism for pyrotechnics,

and the like comprising a receptaclehaving a pyrotechnic. adjacent to a match composition supportedin' saidreceptacleand a ro'- tatable member provided with a scratchercomposition to which said match composi tion is sensitive, said'scratcher composition rotatable 'member revolves, 'and means for being in the vicinity and out of contactwith said match composition when the device is in the safe engage said match :c'ompositi'on' :when said,

preventing vfrictional movement between the adjacent match 1 and scratcher compos tions when the device is in the safe4- position.

2. A .firing mechanism for pyrotechnics "and the like comprising a receptacle having apyrotechnic at one end adjacent to a match composition supported in said receptacle, a

rotatable member projecting into the -other "end ofsaid receptacle, the inner end of said a rotatable member being providedwith: a,

"scratcher composition-to which said;matchcomposition'is sensitive, said scratcher com-=2 ipositionbeing in the vicinity of and onto-of j '.'contact with said match composition when the'jdevice is inthe fsafe-positionland said scratcher compo'sit-ionbeing .disposed'to trie I is inf-the safe positioni 1 50.

tio'nally engage f-said'" match composition a T when said. rotatable member revolves in the I receptacle, andj'means for preventing fr'ic tionalfmovement between the adjacent..match and-scratcher-compositions when j the device '3-" -gfirii1g mecha tor-pyrotechnics] comprising a tube having a pyrotechnic at I tionsupported in said tube and a'irot'atablev plug -pro'ecting: into the Fother, endofsaid tube,-1sai plug having the base'withinfsaidf" ft'ubeapartly-.;surfaced"'w1thfla iscrateherfl coino positiontof which' sajidmatch eomposition}is;.

1 s n i i e. s dcra ch r m oi i oni-g e h the yjlcllilty f and; out no -contact. -w1t I I said match compos tlonwhenthe dev1ce.;is ;i I I position and said scratcher composition be ng disposed :to frictionall-y/ in the safe position and said match composition being disposed in the pat-hot said scratcher composition when the plug is 1'0- tated in the tube, and means for preventing rotation of the lug in the tube and frictional movement tween the adjacent match and scratcher compositions when the device is in the safe position.

4. A firing mechanism for pyrotechnics comprising a receptacle having a pyrotechnic in contact with a match compositionsupported in said receptacle and a rotatable member adjacent to said match composition v and having the surface near, said match composition obliquely inclined to the axis of said receptacleand partly surfaced with a scratcher composition to which said match composition is'sensitive, said scratcher composition being out'ofcontact with said match composition when thedevi'ce is in the safe position and said match composition being disposed in the path of the said-scratcher composition when the rotatable member revolves.

comprising a tube havingapyrote'chnic at one end incontact'wit-h a matchcomposition supported in said'tube'. and a. closely-fitting, rota-table 10f said tube, said plug having the base -positi'onobeing; inEthe vicinityof and out of 8: ther devic'e is in" the- .safe? pos tioirand; said; .scratcher'composition being, disposed-to1fric--- within .saidrtube obliquelyfinclined to the axis of sa d tube and partlysurfaced with 5. A firing'inechanism forpyrotechnics plugiprojectilng intol'flie other end a I a seratchercompositionto which said match composition is sensitive, said scratcher composition. being out 'of contact with said match composition when the device is in. the safe position and said match composition beingj'disposed in the-path of-theisaid.

sc'ratcher composition when the plug 4 is roi tilted in the] tube;.

firing 'mechanism for pyrotechnics I compr sing "a: tube 'havlng a pyrotechnic re- '7 action mixture at [one end, a match compositionirr'jclose proximity tosa id ,py t 'h; me mixture,- at rOtatable member sup orting, a scratcher compositionlto which sai matchcomposition is sensitive extending into-f the otherenid'of said tube, said scratcher c'om-' i contact with said ..;matchcom sition when .tironallyligenga el. and match" 1091 Sition 1, whenwsaidimelm r i irotat'edwithinft f8 W y men?betweenj'fthe**;. i 1i fi ihand"? i seratcher pompositionswhe -the deviceis-in and .means for preventing frictional move- 

